College Gears Up For 4-Year Degree Plan
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Del.icio.usThere’s a “crime” wave in Kaneohe, and it can only get bigger.
A bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Chaminade University - to be earned at Windward Community College - is in the works, and two related classes start in August on the Kaneohe campus, taught by well-known local experts in the field.
Renowned forensic entomologist Lee Goff, a Kaneohe resident, Chaminade professor and consultant to both the FBI and the CSI TV series, will teach the one-credit “Introduction to Forensic Sciences” at 4 p.m. Mondays. Retired Hawaii judge Sandra Simms will teach the three-credit “Criminal Justice Systems” at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at WCC. Simms’ class is a degree requirement.
Goff has come full circle, having left UHManoa six years ago to start Chaminade’s Forensic Science program. Now he’ll be teaching UH-system students to interest them in a Chaminade degree. Goff has seen enrollment in the CU program grow in six years from 15 to 160 students.
“There is such a tremendous interest in forensic sciences now,” he said, “and the TV shows call attention to it. My course will give a general overview and also show that it’s not all TV glamour, but a lot of hard science.”
Classes begin in August, and interested students may register for them from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at Hale Palanakila, at the Career and College Fair April 17 at Hale Akoakoa, or from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 1 at Hale A’o. Appointments also can be made by calling Chaminade counselor Candace Kaopuiki at 254-1256.
“We’re really pushing for it,” said Connie Turner, coordinator of the WCC Office of University Partners, “and we can accept up to 35 students per class.
“We have a wonderful campus here,” Turner added, “and we need to be using it.” The Partners office is working 1) to allow students to complete this and other undergraduate degrees at WCC, 2) to initiate study programs previously unavailable here and 3) to ease student transfers to other schools.
Taking course requirements from both colleges on one campus is convenient for Windward residents, but it also means they pay two separate tuition fees. All general ed requirements offered by WCC cost $63 per credit hour, said Turner, while the Chaminade Accelerated Undergraduate Program classes are $131 per credit hour.
The WCC bookstore will stock the textbooks.
Careers in the criminal justice and forensics include corrections, probation, private investigation, crime scene investigation, customs, social work, criminologist, protective services and much more.
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